Cherokee Rafting - Ocoee River Whitewater Rafting — Attraction in Cleveland

My wife, two daughters (20 and 17) and I chose to go on the "High Adventure/Private" rafting tour with Cherokee rafting.

For the average person looking to save time reading, YOU WILL NOT REGRET THIS AND SHOULD BOOK IT IMMEDIATELY. If you are an experienced rafter and are looking for miles of class 4 rapids, choose the "upper river tour" and not this one. Also, be certain you are booking on a day when there is a scheduled release from the dam. I believe Cherokee Rafting only operates on those days, but the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) website can confirm which dates are scheduled for water release.

OK, for more details.

We were staying in Chattanooga, so it took about an hour to arrive at the Cherokee Rafting property in Ocoee. There, we were fitted with protective gear and placed on a "short bus" which took us and the other 2 private parties to the launch point, which is just below the dam in the middle river.

Our guide was Ethan, and I would unequivocally suggest asking for him or Travis by name. The first thing he wanted to do was establish parameters for how adventurous we were willing to be. We then went over some basics maneuvers and how to best seat ourselves in the sportier small raft.

After that, we set down in the water. We ended up being out on the water somewhere between 5 and 6 hours. We stopped to swim, hike, and enjoy eddies at various points. At no time did we feel rushed, and the entire time Ethan led us to spots on the river which I am sure nobody other than he or Travis knows are there (or know how to navigate). We spend ample time "couch surfing", which was my favorite activity, with a close record being jumping off of a few rocks in notoriously deeper waters with strong currents.

For those of you asking "should I book the regular tour or the adventure tour", BOOK THE ADVENTURE TOUR. It is 100% worth the additional money. Especially if you can get either Travis or Ethan as your guide.

This was so good, my family is considering driving from Indiana to Tennessee again to just do this. Presumably you are looking into this because you like the idea of whitewater...

Where to start? Book your white water trip here!! We looked up the top rafting rivers in the USA and Ocoee was ranked best overall by Google AI. The best! This company is top notch in customer service, safety, and adventure. The middle river trip is a great range of class 3 and 4 - we handled it as beginners with our 12 year old and thankfully the guides minimized risk and made sure no one was falling out. However, we loved it so much my husband and I went a second time and asked for a little more intensity which just meant staying longer at some “play spots” to surf and doing a couple 360’s at slingshot. Our guide Cherokee was THE BEST! Hype and fun and we got some bonus harmonica music while floating in The Doldrums. The outpost where you start and end has all the last minute necessities like water shoes, sunglasses and cords to keep them on, snacks and drinks. They had super cute merch so we all picked up a shirt of some kind. The equipment was good quality and clean - no musty smells or anything. In fact, as soon as you take it off they immediately dunk it in a sanitizing solution. Bathrooms are clean and they have warm showers if you come back cold. We wore bathing suits with sun shirts and stayed comfortable. I could go on and on. Such a good time!!! Can’t wait to come back and try the...

WOW – what an incredible family adventure we had on the Full Ocoee River Rafting Adventure with Cherokee Rafting! From start to finish, everything was top-notch and unforgettable.

Our guide, Max, was phenomenal! He struck the perfect balance between keeping us safe and still letting us experience the full thrill of the river. His confidence, knowledge of the rapids, and sense of humor made the trip not only exciting but also super fun. We felt like we were in the best hands the entire time.

The catered shore lunch was just right – fresh, tasty, and perfectly timed to recharge us for the second leg of the journey. Nothing too heavy, just the fuel we needed to hit the next set of rapids with energy and excitement!

Cherokee Rafting clearly prioritizes safety without sacrificing fun. Their post-rapid checks after the big splashes were thoughtful and reassuring – making sure everyone was good to go while keeping the momentum and good vibes going. Even the bus ride was entertaining, with the crew keeping spirits high and adding to the overall experience.

We will absolutely be back and are already recommending Cherokee Rafting to everyone we know. If you're considering rafting the Ocoee, don’t even look anywhere else – this is the team you want!

Thank you for the memories, Max and the entire...